by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)

To Dianeme (V)
Language: English 
I could but see thee yesterday
    Stung by a fretful bee ;
And I the javelin suck'd away,
    And heal'd the wound in thee.

A thousand thorns and briars and stings,
    I have in my poor breast ;
Yet ne'er can see that salve which brings
    My passions any rest.

As love shall help me, I admire
    How thou canst sit, and smile
To see me bleed, and not desire
    To staunch the blood the while.

If thou, compos'd of gentle mould,
    Art so unkind to me ;
What dismal stories will be told
    Of those that cruel be ?

Confirmed with Works of Robert Herrick, Vol I, ed. by Alfred Pollard, London, Lawrence & Bullen, 1891, page 89.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

    [ None yet in the database ]


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2022-01-19
Line count: 16
Word count: 96